Large round baler having baling chamber constructed so as to facilitate the flow of harvest into the chamber

ABSTRACT

The expansible baling chamber of a large round baler is constructed so as to have chamber-forming elements that act to bias a forming bale away from the chamber inlet so that harvest entering the inlet will be more easily wrapped onto the bale, these chamber-forming elements, in some embodiments, also acting to increase the tension of tensioning mechanism forming part of the baling chamber. Also aiding in the delivery of harvest to the baling chamber is a conveyor having portions located within the chamber inlet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to a round baler having an expansible balingchamber, and more specifically relates to the arrangement of variouscomponents forming the baling chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

DE-A1-198 10 074 discloses a round baler having a baling chamber, thesize of which can be varied due to the fact that belts are compliantlysupported on rollers, with the belts forming a loop between two rollerssituated on the sides of an inlet, and with the baling chamber beingformed in said loop. A two-armed carrier that can be pivoted about therotational axis of a lower roller is provided above the inlet. As thebale diameter increases, a central roller is pressed away from thebaling chamber such that a third, upper roller tensions the belts to acertain degree and thus increases the density of the round bale.

A comparable arrangement for tightening belts of this type is disclosedin DE-A1-198 51 470. However, only one roller is arranged on a pivotedcarrier in this case, with the pivoting movement of the carrier beingcontrolled by the tensioning arm of the belts.

According to EP-A1-0 339 730, a baling chamber is surrounded by beltsand rollers, with four rollers being arranged on a pivoted carrier andpartially encompassing the baling chamber. The belts extend through agap between a roller situated farthest from the pivoting axis of thecarrier and a roller situated adjacent thereto. Due to these measures,the walls surrounding the baling chamber are coupled to one another anda high tension is exerted upon the round bale.

The problem to be solved with the invention can be seen in the fact thatthe supply of new material is difficult to introduce into the balingchamber when the forming bale has a high density.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided an improvedstructure for defining an expansible baling chamber of a large roundbaler.

An object of the invention is to provide a large round baler having anexpansible baling chamber that is constructed so as to facilitate thefeeding of harvest into the baling chamber.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a large roundbaler having an expansible baling chamber having a forward partpartially defined by a plurality of rolls mounted to a carrier pivotallymounted to the opposite side walls of the baling chamber, with one ormore of the rolls having a flexible tension means, that forms part ofthe baling chamber, engaged therewith such as to cause the carrier topivot to press the other roll(s) against the forming bale so to force itaway from the bale chamber inlet so as to create a space for allowingthe ingress of the harvest.

A further object of the invention is to provide a large round baler asdefined in the immediately preceding object, wherein the carrier is soshaped and the roll(s) engaged by the tension means are so located thatthe carrier causes an increase in the tension of the tension means asthe bale increases in size.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a large round baler asdefined in the immediately preceding object, and further including aharvest conveyor which is located partially within the baling chamberinlet for positively delivering the harvest through the inlet.

These and other objects will become apparent from a reading of theensuing description together with the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic, left side view of a large round baler having abaling chamber, formed in accordance with a first embodiment of theinvention, and shown in a condition at the beginning of the balingprocess.

FIG. 2 is a view like that of FIG. 1, but showing the baling chamber ina condition at the end of the baling process.

FIG. 3 is a schematic, left side view of a large round baler having abaling chamber, formed in accordance with a second embodiment of theinvention, and shown in a condition at the beginning of the balingprocess.

FIG. 4 is a view like that of FIG. 3 but showing the baling chamber in acondition at the end of the baling process.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a large round baler 10 having afront frame 12 and a rear discharge gate 14. The baler 10 conventionallyserves for receiving a mowed harvest and compressing this harvest intoround bales of variable size.

The frame 12 includes an axle 16 on which is mounted wheels 18, a hitch20 and side walls 22, with the frame carrying a pick-up 24, a conveyor26, a cutting mechanism 28, a bottom conveyor 30 and a carrier 32 withrollers 34, deflection rollers 36, a tensioning device 38 and tensionmeans 40. The frame 12 is supported on the ground by means of the axle16 and the wheels 18 such that the round baler 10 can be towed over afield by a not-shown towing vehicle.

The hitch 20 is unyieldingly, compliantly or movably connected to theframe 12 and serves for connecting the round baler 10 to the towingvehicle. The side walls 22 are rigidly mounted on the frame 12 andlaterally limit a baling chamber 42 for a round bale 44.

The pick-up 24 is conventionally constructed and has the same width or agreater width than the baling chamber 42. The pick-up 24 collects theharvest that lies on the ground with prongs 46 that convey in anovershot fashion and moves the harvest to a cutting mechanism 28 along atransport surface that is not illustrated, with the harvest being fedinto the baling chamber 42 from the cutting mechanism.

The conveyor 26 operates in an undershot fashion and is constructed inthe form of a rotor that assists in feeding the harvest delivered by thepick-up 24 into the cutting mechanism 28. The conveyor 26 may have asmooth surface or be equipped with drivers, prongs teeth, ribs, screwsor the like.

The cutting mechanism 28 customarily contains a bottom 48, a cover 50, arotor 52, knives 54 and strippers 56. The cutting mechanism 28 is notimportant for the invention and is only cited as a supplement for thisembodiment; it is in particular, possible to omit the knives 54 suchthat the rotor 52 simply acts as a conveyor. If the cutting mechanism 28is provided, it serves for comminuting the harvest delivered by thepick-up 24 such that it can be better compacted in the baling chamber42.

The bottom 48 extends between the pick-up 24 and the bottom conveyor 30and has a curvature that essentially follows the radius of the rotor 52.

The cover 50 has the same curvature and extends between the conveyor 26and the carrier 32 or a roller 34 arranged on the lower end region ofthe carrier, respectively. The bottom 48 and the cover 50 form areceptacle opening upstream of the rotor 52 and an inlet 58 of thebaling chamber 42 downstream of the rotor, with the inlet simultaneouslybeing limited by the lower roller 34 and the bottom conveyor 30. Whenviewing the round baler 10 from the left, the inlet 58 is situated inthe first quadrant of the rotor 52 and is consequently arrangedessentially laterally thereto.

The rotor 52 includes a central tube 60 and drivers 62 that are attachedto the central tube 60 such that they are curved in a trailing fashion.The central tube 60 is driven in the clockwise direction by means of anot-shown drive when viewing the round baler 10 from the left side. Thedrivers 62 essentially have a triangular shape, the tip of which extendsalmost to the bottom 48 and the cover 50. A total of five rows ofdrivers 62 are welded or screwed onto the central tube 60 along helicallines, with the drivers 62 being spaced apart from one another in theaxial direction of the rotor 52. The rotor 52 has a significant diameterof approximately 0.6 m.

The knives 54 are constructed conventionally and can preferably belocked in different positions, with the knives also being able to yieldin case of an overload. The knives 54 extend into all or only a few ofthe intermediate spaces between the drivers 62 through slots in thecover 50 that are not visible in the figures. The knives 54 are held bya commonly adjustable carrier that is not illustrated in the figures andmay extend up to the central tube 60 in one end position and up to theinner side of the cover 50 in the other end position. As mentionedpreviously, the knives 54 can also be omitted such that the rotor 52does not perform a cutting function, but rather only acts as a conveyingrotor 52. The knives 54 are situated above the rotor 52 and upstream ofthe inlet 58.

The strippers 56 are situated upstream of the knives 54 and alsoarranged in the intermediate spaces between the drivers 62. An upperedge of the drivers 62 extends in a slightly descending fashion towardthe cover plate 14 and is slightly bent. The strippers 56 border thecentral tube 60 on one side and the bottom conveyor 30 on the otherside, with the strippers very closely following their contour. Theposition of the strippers 56 is chosen such that the round bale 44 isable to partially support itself on the strippers in the initial phaseof the baling process, with the strippers consequently covering acertain part of the inlet 58.

In this embodiment, the bottom conveyor 30 is formed by two rollers 64that are mounted stationary in a rotatable fashion in the frame 12 orits side walls 22, respectively, and have a relatively large diameter.The rear roller 64 is arranged lower than the front roller 64 andsituated directly above the axle 16. A descending transport surface isthus created on the two rollers 64. Instead of using two rollers 64, itwould also be conceivable to provide a larger or smaller quantity ofrollers, a chain conveyor, a conveyor belt or the like. The bottomconveyor 30 limits the baling chamber 42 in its lower region with partof its circumference. The rollers 64 are preferably driven.

The carrier 32 is constructed in the form of a rail that is resistant tobending and provided twice, namely on each side wall 22. In this case,sufficiently known reinforcing elements that are not illustrated in thefigures are provided between the two carriers. The carrier 32 can bepivoted vertically about a horizontal pivoting axis 66 that extendstransverse to the driving direction of the round baler 10. The pivotingaxis 66 is situated between the ends of the carrier 32, namelyapproximately in its center in this particular embodiment, such that itis able to move similar to a rocker.

Assuming three rollers 34 are provided, which is not absolutelyimperative, the rollers 34 consist of a lower roller, a central rollerand an upper roller 34. The rollers 34 are rotatably accommodatedbetween the two carriers 32 and extend over the entire width of thebaling chamber 42. The arrangement is chosen such that, once the roundbale 44 essentially has reached its full size, the surfaces or edgesfacing the round bale 44 lie on a curved surface that follows thediameter of the round bale 44. The diameters of the lower roller and thecentral roller 34 are greater than the diameter of the upper roller 34.The lower roller 34 is always situated near the rear edge of the cover50. The rotational axis of the central roller 34 simultaneously formsthe pivoting axis 66. However this is not absolutely imperative and maybe achieved differently in other embodiments. The pivoting axis 66 may,in particular, be offset toward the bottom, toward the top, toward thefront or toward the rear. A gap through which the tension means 40extends is formed between the central roller and the upper roller 34.The lower roller and the central roller 34 directly form part of thewall of the baling chamber 42, with the harvest being baled thereindirectly acting upon said rollers.

Several deflection rollers 36, of which at least one is driven, extendbetween the side walls 22, with said deflection rollers partially beingrotatably supported in said side walls parallel to the rollers 34.According to FIG. 1, four deflection rollers 36 are arranged essentiallyin the corner points of a trapezoid, about which the tension means 40revolves in an endless fashion. Three of the four deflection rollers 36are stationarily supported on the intermediate walls 22, with onedeflection roller being movably supported on the tensioning device 38.

The tensioning device 38 conventionally includes an arm 68, a bearing 70and an energy storing device 72. The arm 68 is formed by a massive steelrail and provided twice analogous to the carriers 32, i.e., in theregion of both side walls 22. The arm 68 extends almost over the entirelength of the side wall 22 and is provided with two deflection rollers36 in the end region that is situated distant from the bearing 70. Thesetwo deflection rollers are spaced apart from one another in the radialdirection. One of the deflection rollers 36 is situated in an interiorspace that is surrounded by the tension means 40. The arm 68 extendsbeyond the bearing 70 in the end region that is situated proximal to thebearing 70 and slightly angled so as to form a lever arm 74. The bearing70 accommodates the arm 68 in a vertically pivoted fashion with the endregion situated opposite to the deflection rollers 36. For this purpose,a separate bearing 70 may be respectively provided on each end wall 22or one bearing may extend between the side walls 22.

The energy storing device 72 is constructed in the form of a helicaltension spring in this embodiment; alternatively, it would be possibleto utilize a hydraulic cylinder with a gas pressure accumulator or athrottle, a different type of spring, a combination thereof or the like.The energy storing device 72 is mounted on the lever arm 74 with one endand on the holder 76 with the other end, with the holder stationarilyengaging on the frame 12 or the side wall 22. The energy storing device72 normally is at least slightly pre-stressed. However, it would also bepossible to construct an embodiment in which the resistance of theenergy storing device 72 can be varied, e.g., by means of a controllablethrottle, such that a different compaction is realized over the diameterof the round bale 44 and a soft core is achieved. The effectivedirection of the storing device 72 is chosen such that the arm 68 withits deflection rollers 36 is always pressed toward the inlet 58, i.e.,in the sense of the smallest baling chamber 42 possible.

The tension means 40 is conventionally formed of several narrow beltsthat extend parallel to one another in this embodiment. The tensionmeans 40 that is assigned to the frame 12 represents a closed tensionmeans and is provided separately of a tension means provided in thedischarge gate 14; however, this is not absolutely imperative. It wouldalso be conceivable to utilize only one tension means 40 in the frame 12and the discharge gate 14. Beginning at the deflection roller 36situated on the arm 68, the tension means 40 extends in a clockwisedirection through the gap between the upper and central roller 34arranged on the carrier 32, over a lower front deflection roller, anupper front deflection roller and an upper rear deflection roller 36 inthe frame 12. Due to the ability to pivot the arm 68 and the carrier 32,the section of the tension means 40 which extends between the gap andthe movable deflection roller 36 can be subjected to an excursion andvaried with respect to its size. This section represents part of thewall of the baling chamber 42 and is directly acted upon by the harvestsituated in the baling chamber 42.

The baling chamber 42 has a variable size and is bordered by its inlet58, the rollers 34 arranged on the carrier 32, the part of the tensionmeans 40 which extends between the gap and the movable deflectionrollers 36, a tension means section in the discharge gate 14, and thebottom conveyor 30. On the end faces, the baling chamber 42 isessentially closed by the side walls 22.

The round bale 44 is formed of the harvest that is wound up in a helicalfashion and ultimately reaches the size indicated in FIG. 2. In order tounload the round bale 44 from the baling chamber 42, the discharge gate14 is raised such that the round bale 44 is able to roll along thebottom conveyor and then onto the ground. The density of the round bale44 is attained with the tension of the tension means 40 which isgenerated by the energy of the energy storage device 72.

The discharge gate 14 is connected to the frame 12 in a verticallypivoted fashion by means of a bearing 78 with the pivoting movementbeing caused by sufficiently known hydraulic cylinders that are notillustrated in the figures. The discharge gate 14 includes opposite sidewalls 80, several deflection rollers 82 and a closed, endless tensionmeans 84. The side walls 80 respectively extend in the same planes as dothe side walls 22 of the frame 12 and close the baling chamber 42 on itsend faces. Conventional, not-shown reinforcing elements extend betweenthe side walls 80.

The four deflection rollers 82 used in this embodiment are mounted infixed locations, but accommodated in the side walls 80 in a rotatablefashion, with the deflection rollers extending over the entire width ofthe baling chamber 42 parallel to the deflection rollers 36. Thedeflection rollers 82 consist of an upper front deflection roller, anupper rear deflection roller, a lower rear deflection roller and a lowerfront deflection roller. The lower front deflection roller 82 lies inthe immediate vicinity of the rear lower roller 64 of the bottomconveyor 30. A deflection roller 82 that is carried by the arms 68 andsituated in the immediate vicinity of the corresponding deflectionroller 36 arranged on the arms 68 is provided between the lower frontdeflection roller and the upper front deflection roller 82. Thevertically movable deflection roller 82 subjects the section of thetension means 84 which extends between the upper front deflection rollerand the lower front deflection roller 82 to a forward excursion in thedirection of the inlet 58.

The tension means 84 is constructed analogous to the tension means 40 inthe frame 12 and extends over all aforementioned deflection rollers 82in the discharge gate 14. The section of the tension means 84 whichextends between the movable deflection roller and the lower frontdeflection roller 82 forms a length-adjustable part of the wall of thebaling chamber 42.

According to the previous description, the round baler 10 according toFIGS. 1 and 2 functions as described below.

In a not-shown situation in which the arm 68 is situated in its lowestposition due to the effect of the energy storing device 72, the carrier32 approximately assumes the position shown in FIG. 1 and the sectionsof the tension means 40 between the upper roller 34 arranged on thecarrier 32, the movable deflection roller 36 or the movable deflectionroller 82, respectively, and the lower front deflection roller 82essentially lies in a plane that extends from the front toward the rearat an incline of approximately 45°. In this case, the baling chamber 42assumes a triangular shape, the hypotenuse of which is formed by the twoaforementioned sections, with the triangle almost standing on one of itstips. The baling chamber 42 has the smallest possible volume in thisinstance.

At the beginning of the baling process, the round baler 10 is moved overa field on which the harvest is, for example, arranged in swaths, withthe harvest being collected by means of the pick-up 24 and fed to thecutting mechanism 28. The rotor 52 conveys the harvest into the balingchamber 42 in an overshot fashion and, if applicable, past the knives54. In the baling chamber, the harvest comes in contact with thesections of the tension means 40 and 84 which revolve in the samedirection. Due to the cooperation between the rotatable support and, ifapplicable, the drive of the rollers 64 and the rollers 34 and thepacking surface of the tension means 40 and 84, the harvest begins torotate once it reaches a sufficient volume, namely in thecounterclockwise direction in the figures. In another embodiment, theround bale 44 may also be wound up in the clockwise direction.

As the baling process progresses, the round baler 10 reaches theoperating state shown in FIG. 1, namely the operating state in which thearm 68 is slightly moved upward against the force of the energy storingdevice 72. This causes the sections to be subjected to an upwardexcursion such that they are displaced out of the common plane andassume the shape of an obtuse roof. The carrier 32 is slightly pivotedin the counterclockwise direction about the pivoting axis 66 such thatits lower roller 34 moves into the baling chamber 42. In this position,the round bale 44 is supported on the front roller 64 of the bottomconveyor and on the strippers 56.

As the baling process progresses, the round bale 44 reaches a size shownin FIG. 2. In this operating state, the arm 68 is completely pivotedupward and the energy storing device 73 is completely tensioned suchthat the highest density possible is achieved on the circumferentialsurface of the round bale 44. Since the bottom conveyor 30 is unable toyield, the round bale 44 is built up toward the top such that itscircumferential surface presses against the upper roller 34 and pivotsthe carrier 32 about the pivoting axis 66 in the counterclockwisedirection. Since the pivoting axis 66 is situated between the ends ofthe carrier 32, this pivoting movement causes the lower end region ofthe carrier 32 to move into the baling chamber 42 with the lower roller34 such that the round bale 44 is displaced toward the rear and now onlysupported on the bottom conveyor 30 and the lower front deflectionroller 82 in the discharge gate 14. Since the round bale 44 no longerslides directed past the inlet 58, the process of feeding additionalharvest into the baling chamber 42 is simplified. Since three rollers 34press against the circumferential surface of the round bale 44 in theregion of the carrier 32, superior guidance of the round bale 44 andhigh compaction are achieved.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the invention which largelycorresponds to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 and alsofulfills the same function. However, the carrier 32 in this embodimentaccording to FIGS. 3 and 4 contains an arm 86 with one additional roller88.

The arm 86 essentially protrudes from the carrier 32 perpendicularly,namely in the direction toward the lower front deflection roller 36 inthe frame 12. The arm 86 is rigidly connected to the carrier 32 in theregion of the upper roller 34. The alignment is chosen such that theroller 88 carried by the arm 86 always adjoins the inner side of thetension means 40. The length of the arm 86 is chosen such that a leverarm is formed which, when pivoting the carrier 32 in thecounterclockwise direction, subjects the section between the movabledeflection roller and the lower front deflection roller 36 in the frame12 to a noticeable additional excursion. Due to the excursion of thissection, the tension in the tension means 40 is additionally increasedat the end of the baling or winding process.

Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent thatvarious modifications can be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

ASSIGNMENT

The entire right, title and interest in and to this application and allsubject matter disclosed and/or claimed therein, including any and alldivisions, continuations, reissues, etc., thereof are, effective as ofthe date of execution of this application, assigned, transferred, soldand set over by the applicant(s) named herein to Deere & Company, aDelaware corporation having offices at Moline, Ill. 61265, U.S.A.,together with all rights to file, and to claim priorities in connectionwith, corresponding patent applications in any and all foreign countriesin the name of Deere & Company or otherwise.

What is claimed is
 1. In a large round baler including a baling chamberdefined in part by at least one endless tension means and by a pluralityof rollers, wherein at least three of said plurality of rollers aremounted to a carrier positioned at a front location of said balingchamber adjacent an inlet of the baling chamber, said carrier beingmounted for pivoting about a horizontal, transverse axis, and, withrespect to said inlet, said tension means being engaged with at least aremote first one of said at least three of said plurality of rollers,the improvement comprising: said tension means, carrier and remote firstone of said at least three of said plurality of rollers being soarranged relative to each other and to said inlet that forces exerted onsaid tension means during formation of a bale will cause the carrier tobe pivoted about said axis such as to urge at least a second one of saidat least three of said plurality of rollers directly against said balein a direction causing the bale to be positioned so as leave a gapbetween said bale and said inlet, thus creating a space aiding infeeding of harvest into the baling chamber.
 2. The large round baler, asdefined in claim 1, wherein said carrier projects upwardly from saidinlet; and said at least remote first one of said at least three of saidplurality of rollers being an uppermost one of said at least three ofsaid plurality of rollers.
 3. The large round baler, as defined in claim1, wherein said carrier projects upwardly from said inlet; said at leastthree of said plurality of rollers being spaced along said carrier suchthat an intermediate one of said at least three of said plurality ofrollers is coincident with said axis.
 4. The large round baler, asdefined in claim 1, wherein said at least second one of said pluralityof rollers is larger in diameter than said at least remote first one ofsaid at least three of said plurality of rollers.
 5. The large roundbaler, as defined in claim 4, wherein said at least three of saidplurality of rollers includes only one roller which is engaged by saidtension means and two rollers which are located for direct engagementwith said bale, with said two rollers being equal in diameter and largerin diameter than said only one roller.
 6. The large round baler, asdefined in claim 1, wherein said carrier is a two-armed structure, witha first arm extending upwardly from said inlet; said plurality ofrollers including three rollers mounted to said first arm, with an upperone of said three rollers being mounted at an upper location of saidfirst arm; said carrier including a second arm projecting forwardly fromsaid upper location of said first arm and having a fourth roller mountedto a forward end location thereof; and said tension means being engagedwith said upper one and fourth rollers, such that, as said carrierpivots about said axis, said tension means is tensioned by movement ofsaid second arm and fourth roller.
 7. The large round baler, as definedin claim 1, wherein said at least three rollers of said plurality ofrollers are located along an arc having a center spaced rearward of saidcarrier and which is approximately coaxial with a formed bale of amaximum diameter that can be produced by said baler.
 8. The large roundbaler, as defined in claim 1, wherein a harvest feed rotor is providedupstream of said inlet of said baling chamber and traces a path thatprotrudes within said inlet.
 9. The large round baler, as defined inclaim 8, where said rotor operates in an overshot fashion.
 10. The largeround baler, as defined in claim 9, wherein said rotor includes aplurality of transversely spaced flat blades; and further including aknife arrangement which includes a plurality of transversely spacedknives located above and projecting towards said rotor for cooperatingwith said flat blades for reducing said harvest to smaller pieces beforeentering said inlet.